The validity of the claim that lying is among the things that invalidate fasting
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Your Eminence! Some scholars cite the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): (Whoever does not give up lying and acting upon it, Allah has no need of his giving up his food and drink) to argue that lying is among the things that invalidate fasting. Is this appropriate?
This is incorrect. The interpretation of the hadith is similar to the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): (A person may pray, but only half, or a quarter, or a tenth of his prayer is recorded for him) and the like. The meaning is that the complete fast is one in which a person abstains from lying, acting upon it, and harshness,As for fasting, it is known, as the Exalted said: [al-Baqarah: 187] .
This is the fasting: abstaining from these things and the like. As for abstaining from forbidden speech and forbidden actions, there is no doubt that it is more complete and better, and this is the wisdom of fasting. However, it is not a condition of it.Imam Ahmad said: If backbiting invalidated the fast, we would have no fasting at all. Who is free from backbiting?And therefore the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: (Whoever does not give up lying and acting upon it) — he did not say that his fast is invalid or that his fasting is not accepted. Rather, he said: (Allah has no need of it) : meaning that this is not the wisdom of fasting. The wisdom of fasting is to abstain from what Allah has forbidden.
This is incorrect. The interpretation of the hadith is similar to the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): (A person may pray, but only half, or a quarter, or a tenth of his prayer is recorded for him) and the like. The meaning is that the complete fast is one in which a person abstains from lying, acting upon it, and harshness,As for fasting, it is known, as the Exalted said:
So now, have relations with them and seek that which Allah has decreed for you. And eat and drink until the white thread of dawn becomes distinct to you from the black thread [of night]. Then complete the fast until the sunset.
فَالْآنَ بَاشِرُوهُنَّ وَابْتَغُوا مَا كَتَبَ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ وَكُلُوا وَاشْرَبُوا حَتَّى يَتَبَيَّنَ لَكُمُ الْخَيْطُ الْأَبْيَضُ مِنَ الْخَيْطِ الْأَسْوَدِ مِنَ الْفَجْرِ ثُمَّ أَتِمُّوا الصِّيَامَ إِلَى اللَّيْلِThis is the fasting: abstaining from these things and the like. As for abstaining from forbidden speech and forbidden actions, there is no doubt that it is more complete and better, and this is the wisdom of fasting. However, it is not a condition of it.Imam Ahmad said: If backbiting invalidated the fast, we would have no fasting at all. Who is free from backbiting?And therefore the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: (Whoever does not give up lying and acting upon it) — he did not say that his fast is invalid or that his fasting is not accepted. Rather, he said: (Allah has no need of it) : meaning that this is not the wisdom of fasting. The wisdom of fasting is to abstain from what Allah has forbidden.